Friends
ERMA FRANKLIN
(March 13, 1938 – September 7, 2002) was an American gospel and R&B singer. Erma was the elder sister of American singer / musician Aretha Franklin and singer / songwriter Carolyn Franklin.
Erma Franklin’s best known recording was the original version of ‘Piece of My Heart’, written and produced by Bert Berns, and recorded in 1967, for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award
DEE DEE WARWICK
American soul / gospel singer, had 2 Grammy nominations for the “Foolish Fool” and ‘She Didn’t Know (She Kept on Talking)’ songs. Dee Dee Warwick began to dabble in a solo career in 1963 cutting what is reportedly the earliest version of “You’re No Good” for Jubilee Records, produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
ERMA / CAROLYN / ARETHA
DEE DEE / DIONNE / CISSY
Dee Dee Warwick and Dionne, Cissy Houston + Erma Franklin, Carolyn and Aretha | Both ‘Walk On By’ – background vocals by Dee Dee Warwick | ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ Aretha’s – background vocals by Cissy Houston & Dee Dee Warwick | ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ Dionne’s – background vocals by Cissy Houston
THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS
American R&B girl group founded by Emily “Cissy” Houston. The group sang backup for many stars, including Solomon Burke, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Esther Phillips. Recorded by themselves for the first time in April 1967 for Atlantic Records.
WOMEN’S POP, SOUL, R&B, BLUES 60S
Dee Dee Warwick, Erma Franklin, Esther Phillips, Carmen McRae, Della Reese, Maxine Brown, LaVern Baker, Doris Troy, Carol Fran, Betty Harris, Judy Clay, Sylvia St. Claire, The Sweet Inspirations, Nina Simone, The Exciters, Connie Francis, Dinah Washington, Gloria Jones, Julie London, The Shirelles
MEN’S POP, SOUL, R&B, BLUES 60S
Arthur Conley, Wilson Pickett, Ben E. King, Chuck Jackson, The Drifters, Solomon Burke, Garnet Mimms, Ronnie Hawkins, Van Morrison, The Isley Brothers, Jimmy Radcliffe, Tommy Hunt, Mel Tormé, The Shadows, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Roy Hamilton, The Mar-Keys